My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

[TwilightOdyssey]

I celebrated my fourth annual synth purchase day a few days ago but have been very busy using them for recording so I haven't had a chance to post about it.

Getting a new synth once per year is a great way to really get to know the strengths and weaknesses of your current setup before you start laying down cash.

Last year I purchased the Moog Mother-32 and added enough Eurorack modules to keep me happy and busy for probably another year, there is so much to explore there.

My need this year is for classic poly synths and I was able to snag two great synths!

First up is a 1985 Yamaha TX7. This could be another thread just discussing the journey I have enjoyed uncovering patches online for this notoriously difficult-to-program synth.

The TX7 is the same as the DX7, less the keyboard. It has a look that just screams 1980s.

The second synth is a a Roland Boutique JP-08. I have not spent much time with it yet but I did purchase two libraries of patches from Ultimate Patches and am looking forward to going through the over the weekend.

 

[Mincer]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

Nice! But with all the programming options, it is hard to believe people didn't have PC/Mac editors for these. They just used the tiny screen. That's insane.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

This era of synths uses sysex for programming.

 

[Mincer]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

This era of synths uses sysex for programming.

Yup...that sounds like a blast.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

Yup...that sounds like a blast.

Ha!

For importing/exporting it's not THAT bad ... but for creating patches? Oh, lord!

 

[Mincer]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

Yeh, I've done a lot of hexidecimal stuff for backups...it isn't a big deal. I'd HATE to program like that, though. Maybe you can find a computer editor that sends the right values from a graphical interface.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

You can, MidiQuest. But it's $600. Totally worth it if you want that level of control, but too pricey for me.

 

[Mincer]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

Yikes...I am amazed there isn't some sort of open source editor these days. Even a software emulation that can send sysex to the real thing might be worth it.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: My annual synth purchase day - 2 new/new-to-me synths

Yikes...I am amazed there isn't some sort of open source editor these days. Even a software emulation that can send sysex to the real thing might be worth it.

Dexed and Sysex Library are what I use and it will do that, but for programming, editing banks and libraries, setting hierarchies, and hosting multiple file formats and manufacturers, MidiQuest is the best and only game in town. It obviously has had a ton of work put into it and and they have license agreements with every synth manufacturer you can name, but obviously it comes at a cost!